Knickerbocker Golf Club Celebrates 70th Anniversary as Community Institution
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NEW HAVEN ORGANIZATION AMONG NATIONS OLDEST AFRICAN AMERICAN GOLF CLUBS
New Haven, CT, September 2014--Nearly thirty years after the end of the Civil War, John Shippen the son of black man and Native American mother placed sixth in the second U.S. Open, despite threats by white golfers to boycott. After a span of 52 years, Ted Rhodes in 1948 would join Shippen (who played in five Opens) as only African Americans to play in the Open.
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Four years prior to Rhodes playing in the U.S. Open, and three years before Jackie Robinson would break baseball’s color line; a group of African Americans in New Haven, Connecticut united to form the Knickerbocker Golf Club along the winding road of Sherman Parkway.
Since 1944, the Knickerbocker Golf Club has been a critical institution in New Haven’s African American community. It has served as a gathering spot for New Haven’s elites in the black community as well as a key supporter of young people through sponsorships of sports teams, scholarships and venue for community organizing.
On September 13, the KGC celebrated its 70th anniversary with a gala event bringing together past and present members and supporters in a dinner and awards celebration hosted by News Channel 8 anchor Keith Kountz.
Among those honored awere Cheryl Merritt of the New Haven Inner City Junior First Swing Golf Association. Cheryl was instrumental in starting up the Inner-city First Swing Junior Golf Association via the KGC, Inc., Charles Dorsey and Shepard Brock who are charter members of the Knickerbocker Golf Club and were inducted into the National Golf Hall of Fame in Greensboro. North Carolina., John Daniels, 1st Black Mayor of the City of New Haven, along with Honorable Mention Awards: RaMona McCoy and her daughter Cynthia McCoy Jackson for their invaluable community service.
Although its clubhouse is distinguished as a historical landmark by the Connecticut State Preservation Board and the National Register of Historic Places, the prominent red brick building continues to be a center for golf, social, and recreational activities for its members and the community.
It remains an institution that has withstood the era when African Americans were barred from playing in white tournaments to witnessing the rise and accomplishments of Tiger Woods, whose success in many ways –not necessarily in actual player numbers – reinvigorated the sport of golf in the African American community.
“It's hard to imagine golf without Tiger, but many of us can,” said Willie Holmes the Knickerbocker Club’s residing historian. “For those of us who remember what it was like for
African Americans trying to break into what were once considered white-only sport, it's even harder to imagine why we’d want to,” added Holmes.
Longtime member Dr. Reginald Mayo, the former superintendent of New Haven Public Schools believes institutions like the Knickerbockers are still relevant and play a crucial role in allowing community elders to transfer history and culture to younger generations unaware of the struggles and sacrifices invested in removing racist barriers in America.
“Cultural institutions like the Knickerbockers serve a role in filling in the blanks for the younger generation and serve as a vehicle for ensuring that our young people remember where we’ve come from as a people and that there is an obligation to pay it forward for the future generations the same way others did for us and we are doing for them,” he said.
Retired New Haven Police Chief and Knickerbocker member Melvin Wearing agrees.
“No one knows our community better than we do and the Knickerbocker Golf Club is about simply more than golf. That was a starting point, the bigger idea was to pool resources and create a safe place that could have a positive and powerful impact on our community,” said Wearing.
“Without a doubt for the past 70 years, I do believe the Knickerbocker Club has done that and I don’t see that commitment ending any time soon,” added Wearing.
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For More information on African Americans and golf visit the PGA Black History Timeline: http://www.pga.com/timeline-african-american-achievements-in-golf
KNICKERBOCKER GOLF CLUB TIMELINE: http://www.knickerbockergolf.net/history.html
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